SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 18, 2011 / — To whet the appetite of Bay Area residents for the sixth edition of the MICHELIN Guide San Francisco, Bay Area & Wine Country being released next week, Michelin announced today the 77 Bib Gourmand restaurants listed in its 2012 edition. Bib Gourmand selections are restaurants serving two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (tax and gratuity not included).

Introduced in the 1997 editions of the MICHELIN Guides in Europe, the Bib Gourmand is identified in the guide by a red symbol depicting the head of Bibendum, the Michelin Man. This year, 19 restaurants in the Bay Area are new to the Bib Gourmand category, which indicates the inspectors’ favorites for good value. The full selection of restaurants — including those garnering the famous MICHELIN stars — will be announced Tuesday, Oct. 25, when Michelin officially introduces its complete selection for the MICHELIN Guide San Francisco, Bay Area & Wine Country 2012. The guide will go on sale Wednesday, Oct. 26, at $18.99.

The MICHELIN Guide San Francisco, Bay Area & Wine Country 2012 covers a wider geographic region than most of its peers, stretching from Los Gatos in the south to Geyserville in the north. Over the past year, Michelin inspectors have analyzed restaurants throughout Northern California, always anonymously. MICHELIN inspectors share insights from their many meals on Twitter at @MichelinGuideSF.

The Bib Gourmand selections for 2012:

A 16

Artisan Bistro

Bar Bambino

Bar Tartine

BarBersQ

Bay Wolf

Bellanico

Betelnut

Bistro 29

Bistro Aix

Bistro Jeanty

Boon Eat + Drink

Bottega

Burma Superstar

C Casa

Chapeau!

Chevalier

Chu

Colibri

Contigo

Cook St. Helena

Corso

Cotogna

Crouching Tiger

Cucina Paradiso

Delarosa

Delfina

Domo

Dosa

eVe

Fish Story

FIVE

flour + water

Fringale

Gather

Hachi Ju Hachi

Hibiscus

Hot Box Grill

Incanto

Insalata’s

Ippuku

K & L Bistro

Kabab & Curry’s

Kappou Gomi

Kitchen (The)

Kokkari Estiatorio

LaSalette

Laurus

Le Charm

Le Garage

Mamacita

Marinitas

Monti’s Rotisserie

Namu

Oenotri

Osteria Coppa

Perbacco

Pican

Plum

Risibisi

Rivoli

Sazon

Scopa

Slanted Door (The)

Slow Club

Sociale

SPQR

Starbelly

Sumika

Sushi Ran

Thai House

the girl & the fig

Troya

Willi’s Wine Bar

Wood Tavern

Yank Sing

Zero Zero

With more than one million copies sold in approximately 100 countries, the MICHELIN Guide has always built its success on the diversity of its selections, especially with small establishments offering a high-quality dining experience at an affordable price. Both the popularity and importance of the Bib Gourmand category and the Under $25 category are reflected in the 2012 edition. Moreover, inclusion in the MICHELIN Guide is, in itself, synonymous with quality, because only the best establishments in each comfort and price category are featured in the guide.

Enhancing mobility is not only the mission of the Michelin Group but also of the MICHELIN Guide, which was created to assist travelers — and motorists, in particular — by making their journeys more enjoyable. Now representing 23 countries and three continents, the collection of 27 MICHELIN Guides includes more than 45,000 addresses. In North America, three U.S. cities — New York, San Francisco and Chicago — currently have guides. For more information about the guides and the inspection methodology, visit www.michelinguide.com.